Manually propelled implement handle



Dec. 26, 1950 R. E. HUSTON 2,535,419

v MANUALLY PROPELLED IMPLEMENT HANDLE Filed Nov. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet1 ARI N By A rmrneyx Dec. 26, 1950 Filed Nov. 15, 1946 R. HUSTON 12,535,419

MANUALLY PROPELLED IMPLEMENT HANDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Roeriiifimion A [Inrneys Patented Dec. 26, 1950 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE "MANUAIILYTROPELLED' IMPLEMENT "HANDLE 1 Glaim. 1 s This invention relates to anovel construction of" handle for use with manually propelledimplements, such as'lawn or garden'implements and ally "propelled lawnmowers.

More particularly, i-t'is an'object ofthe invention to provide a'han'dlehavingihand gripswhich are disposed substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis "of a handle shank and which are -"laterally :o'liset*on either side -"of the "handle shankto'afford a means wherebya'substantially direct force maybe exerted by *the body or "the useroutwardly from the shoulders through the arms, iwristsand hands to saidhand grips.

A particular advantage of the invention resides in the factthat thearms-and wrists do not have to be flexed in order to comfortably engagethe hand grips and'exert a'pushing force thereon, thus considerablyreducing fatigue, especially :in the arms, hands and wrists.

Anotherad-vantage of theinvention resides in the fact that the handgrips afford the user a more effective control of the mower or implementenabling theimplement tobe guided and turned more readily.

Various-other objects and advantages "of the invention will hereinafterbecomemore Tully apparentfrom the following desciption of the'drawings,illustrating the preferred'embodimentthereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a side'elevationaliview showing the improvedhandle incombination with a conven-.

tional'type manually propelled lawn mower;.

"Figure'2is a fragmentary toppla-n view or the handle;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in horizontal section ofthe endof the handle shank which is attached to the fork or yoke of thelawn mower;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a crosssectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by theline 5--5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view looking toward the outer end of thehandle;

Figure 7 is a plan view, similar to Figure 2, of another embodiment ofthe invention;

. Figure 8 is an end elevational view thereof, similar to Figure 6, andFigure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line 9-9 of Figure 7.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and especially intended andadapted for use'onmanushaped bars I I'are fastened, intermediate oftheir first with reference to Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, .II) designatesgenerally a conventional lawn mower having an elongated handle I I whichis connected atits inner, lower end by suitable fastenings I2 to theshank portion of the fork I3 of a lawn mower. The elongated handle I Imay be of conventional type employed on lawn mowers.

The improved handle, designated generally I4 and comprising theinvention, includes a pair-of bracket plates I5 which are attached tothe'top and bottom sides of the handle shank II at its opposite, outerend, by means of a plurality of nut and bolt fastenings It. The shankportion II may form a part of theimproved handle I4 or the conventionalshank portion of a lawn mower maybe utilized by merely removing thecross bar at the outer end thereof and which forms the hand grip ofconventional lawn mower handles, and attaching the plates I5 thereto, asillustrated in the drawings and as previously 'described.

A pair of substantially corresponding arcuate ends, 'to'the base platesI 5 and on the outer sides thereof by means o'fa plurality of rivets orother fastenings I8 and a nut and bolt fastening I8, which also extendsthrough shank I I.

The ends of the bars I! extend outwardly and are curved rearwardly withrespect to the rear end of the shank II and as best seen in Figures 1and '4, the complementary ends of the bars IT are disposed in outwardlydiverging relationship to one'another and. terminate in aperturedsubstantlally parallel terminal portions I9. A nut and bolt fastening'20 extends through the aligned apertures of the complementary terminalportions I9 of said bars I! and a hand grip 2| is interposed betweensaid complementary terminal portions I9 at each end of the yoke, formedby the bars I1, and each of said handle portions or grips 2| is securedin position by the shank of the bolt of the fastening 20 extendingtherethrough, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4.

If the handle shank I I constitutes a part of the improved handle I 4,the inner, forward end thereof is preferably provided with a transversebore 22, adjacent said end, and a transverse, longitudinally extendingslot 23, which is spaced from the bore 22. The bore 22 is adapted toreceive one of the .fastenings I2 and the slot 23 is provided to receivethe other fastening and is formed as a slot, rather than a bore, toaccommodate yokes I3 having fastenings I2 spaced different distancesapart.

The hand grips 2I are spaced laterally a distance substantially equal tothe space between a mans arms, so that the user in grasping the handgrips 2| will have his arms positioned substantially parallel fromshoulder to wrist. The grips 2| are disposed substantially perpendicularto the longitudinal axis of the handle shank and generally vertically sothat the hand grip 2| may be grasped and conveniently held with the armsand wrists substantially straight. Consequently in pushing the lawnmower ill a substantially direct pushing force can be exerted insubstantiall a straight line from the shoulders, through the arms,wrists and hands against the grips 2 I, thus enabling the lawn mower tobe operated with a minimum of fatigue to the shoulders, arms, wrists andhands. Further, the spacing of the hand grips 2| will facilitate theturning and guiding of the lawn mower and the efficient operationthereof around and adjacent obstructions and thus greatly increase themaneuverability of the mower.

A slightly modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 7, 8and 9 wherein the outer, upper end of a handle shank, designatedgenerally Ed is shown provided at its outer end with a cross bar 25. Thehandle shank 2 corresponds to the handle shank except that the outer endthereof is provided with a restricted extension 26 which extends througha transverse opening 2! which is formed in the cross bar 25 intermediateof the ends of the latter. A fastening 27 extends through crossbar 25and extension 2:? to detachably secure the cross bar to the shank Thecross bar 25 is preferably of a greater length than the conventionalcross bar or lawn mower handle and which is .formed with the hand gripsthereof. The ends of the cross bar 25 are provided with nut and boltfastenings 28 which extend downwardly therethrough below the undersideof the bar 25 and which support hand grips 29 thereon. The hand grips 28correspond substantially to the hand grips 2| and the shanks of thefastenings 28 extend therethrough, as seen in Figure 9, to support thegrips 29 in positions depending from and substantially perpendicular tothe ends of the cross bar 25. The hand grips 29 and their supportingfastenings 23 are preferably braced at the lower ends of said parts by abar 30 having downwardly offset terminals which are apertured to receivethe shanks of the fastenings 28 and which terminals 3| are securedagainst the lower ends of the hand grips 26. The bar it includes upwardlinclined converging portions 32 which extend from the terminals 3|obliquely toward the handle shank 24 and which merge with the ends of anarcuate intermediate portion 33 of the bar 30. The intermediate part ofthe arcuate portion 33 is disposed against the underside of the shank 24at a distance from the cross bar 25 and is secured thereto by means of asuitable nut and bolt fastening 34, so that the bar .30 forms a bracebetween each of the hand grips 29 and the handle shank 24.

It will be readily obvious that the handle as illustrated in Figures 7,8 and 9 is adapted to be utilized in the same manner and .for the samepurpose as previously described in reference to the handle l4 and thatthe hand grips 29 may be spaced approximately the sam distanc apart asthe hand grips 2|.

Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated andmay obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim: 1

An attachment for the elongated handle shank of a lawn mower, gardenimplement or the like, comprising a pair of plates adapted to bedetachably secured to opposite surfaces of an elongated handle shankadjacent one of the ends of the handle shank, a pair of bars secured tothe exposed sides of the said plates, intermediate of the ends of thebars and transversely of the plates and handle shank, and a hand gripdetachably mounted between each pair of complementary ends of said bars,said hand grips being disposed in laterally spaced relationship to oneanother and to the handle shank and with their axes perpendicular to theaxis of the handle shank.

ROBERT E. HUSTON.

REFERENCES CHTED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 271,471 Johnston Jan. 30, 1883574,751 Newman Jan. 5, 1897 576,573 Gould Feb. 9, 1897 1,039,971 LeynerOct. 1, 1912 1,262,230 Muhl Apr. 9 1918 2,133,010 Barry Oct. 11, 19382,387,748 Cuddigan et al Got. 30, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 667,865 Germany Nov. 21, 1938 348,096 France Mar. 1, 1905

